The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for connecting rod-shaped commodities end-to-end, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus which can be utilized with advantage as filter tipping machines wherein successive groups or arrays each consisting of two or more rod-shaped smokers' products are joined end-to-end by so-called uniting bands, such as adhesive-coated pieces or patches of cigarette paper, artificial cork or other forms or types of so-called tipping paper.
It is well known to make filter cigarettes of unit length by placing a plain cigarette of unit length end-to-end with a filter mouthpiece of unit length and by thereupon connecting the two rod-shaped articles to each other by means of a uniting band which is convoluted around a portion of or around the entire filter mouthpiece as well as around the adjacent end portion of the plain cigarette. Pairs of filter cigarettes of unit length can be produced by placing a filter mouthpiece of double unit length between two plain cigarettes of unit length, by draping an adhesive-coated uniting band around the entire mouthpiece and around the neighboring end portions of the two plain cigarettes, and by thereupon severing the resulting filter cigarette of double unit length midway across the tubular wrapper, i.e., midway across the converted uniting band.
Similar or identical procedures and apparatus can be resorted to for the making of filter cigars, cigarillos or other types of filter tipped smokers' products.
The making of filter cigarettes having an elliptical cross-sectional outline (i.e., of the so-called oval cigarettes) is analogous, except that the apparatus or units for draping uniting bands around groups of neighboring oval plain cigarettes and filter mouthpieces having elliptical cross-sectional outlines are somewhat more complex because the draping unit of such filter tipping machine must cause the elongated oval cigarettes and the aligned oval filter mouthpieces to roll about their respective longitudinal axes by resorting to a more complex wrapping or rolling mechanism. Reference may be had to published German patent application Serial No. 195 07 395 A and to the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,285 granted May 27, 1997 to Dahlgrun for "APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILTER TIPPED SMOKERS' PRODUCTS HAVING A NON-CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTIONAL OUTLINE".
The '285 patent to Dahlgrun discloses a filter tipping machine wherein successive groups or arrays of plain oval cigarettes and oval filter mouthpieces are admitted into an arcuate rolling channel between the peripheral surface (first rolling surface) of a rotary drum-shaped first rolling member and a second rolling surface provided on a stationary or mobile second rolling member. A stationary strip- or rail-shaped device is provided at the inlet of the rolling channel to ensure or to render it more likely that all constituents of the arrays or groups entering the rolling channel by moving sideways are compelled to begin to turn about their own axes simultaneously and immediately upon entering the inlet of the rolling channel. This ensures, among other advantages, that each uniting band is more reliably convoluted around the abutting ends of rod-shaped commodities (oval cigarettes and oval filter mouthpieces) during travel of successive groups or arrays through a relatively short rolling channel. In most instances, a filter tipping machine is designed to make successive pairs of filter cigarettes by assembling rod-shaped groups or arrays in each of which a filter mouthpiece of double unit length is placed between and is connected, end-to-end, with the neighboring end portions of two plain cigarettes (oval or cylindrical) of unit length.
The purpose of the aforementioned stationary strip- or rail-shaped device (which may but need not be affixed to the second rolling member) is to considerably enhance the likelihood of the establishment of a properly configurated (eye-pleasing) and at least substantially impervious seal between the abutting filter mouthpiece and plain cigarette or cigarettes. This is accomplished by the aforementioned expedient that the strip- or rail-shaped device ensures that the rolling of all constituents of each group or array entering the rolling channel begins at the same time.